


The Violence of Morpheus

by PhenomenalWoman



Series: The Little Jedi [8]
Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Brotherly Love, Force Bond (Star Wars), Gen, Hurt Anakin Skywalker, Hurt/Comfort, I think yall see where this is going, Nightmares, Not just the men, Obi-Wan Kenobi is Trying, Tusken Raiders (Star Wars), all my homies hate palpatine, but the women and the children too, its my fanfiction and I get to choose how the force works, mild violence in the form of dreams
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:20:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28413804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhenomenalWoman/pseuds/PhenomenalWoman
Summary: AKA how Anakin experiences his first memory of his old self and he doesn't like it very much.~Anakin rests his clammy forehead against the toilet and clenches his eyes shut. Flashes of blue and the sizzle of flesh and an onslaught of ragegriefguilthatehatehate bombard Anakin’s mind and he buries his head into the toilet to gag again.“Oh, Anakin,” A warm hand rubs gently down his back and another hand comes up to swipe overgrown hair out of the path of vomit.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker
Series: The Little Jedi [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1748707
Comments: 27
Kudos: 468





	The Violence of Morpheus

Anakin has been having dreams, which isn’t unusual because he has a lot of dreams. But these feel  _ different. _

He wakes up from them with a thin layer of sweat covering his body and panting breaths like he just ran from an angry tooka. Some days, depending on how bad the dreams are, he winds up with his head in a toilet, heaving up whatever he ate for dinner the night before.

That’s how Obi-Wan finds him this morning.

“Anakin?” His voice is still thick with sleep, and Anakin feels his gut twist with something other than nightmare-induced vomiting. Obi-Wan doesn’t sleep enough as it is. He doesn’t need Anakin disrupting what little sleep he does get. 

Anakin rests his clammy forehead against the toilet and clenches his eyes shut. Flashes of blue and the sizzle of flesh and an onslaught of  _ ragegriefguilthatehatehate _ bombard Anakin’s mind, and he buries his head into the toilet to gag again.

“Oh, Anakin,” A warm hand rubs gently down his back, and another hand comes up to swipe overgrown hair out of the path of vomit.

Other than Obi-Wan’s soft noises of reassurance and the sound of his hand swiping over Anakin’s damp shirt, no other words are spoken. 

“Obi-Wan?” Anakin finally croaks when he’s positive that nothing else is going to come out of him.

Obi-Wan hums in response and shifts Anakin, so he’s resting against the wall and not the toilet. 

“I had a really bad dream.”

~

“Anakin, I need you to take a deep breath,” Obi-Wan squeezes the boy’s shoulders and resists the urge to wipe away another tear that tracks down his cheek, “I need you to focus on letting me in.”

The boy shakes his head and tries to jerk his head from Obi-Wan’s gentle hands - too gentle for the likes of  _ him. _ All Anakin’s dreams have done is tell him that he does not deserve Obi-Wan Kenobi’s unconditional love and patience. The gentle hands that thumb away salty tears will only grow dirty the longer they touch Anakin.

_ “No,”  _ Anakin insists, “You don’t understand,” He tries one more time to yank his face away from Obi-Wan, and this time it works, but Anakin knows that Obi-Wan let him. “I don’t… I’m not a…” Anakin pulls his knees up and buries his face in the warmth of his sleep pants, “Obi-Wan, please don’t make me.”

It’s pitiful. Anakin doesn’t even know what he’s asking for,  _ begging for _ , really, but Obi-Wan seems to take mercy on him.

“Okay,” He finally says and doesn’t try to wipe away any more of Anakin’s tears, “okay. Would you like to try and go back to bed?” Is this the right decision? Should he push Anakin more? Obi-Wan always thought his downfall when it came to Anakin was not pushing hard enough. Maybe if he just pressed against Anakin’s defenses a little more the first time around, he wouldn’t be so surprised when something was revealed about Anakin’s past.

_ “No!” _ Anakin’s clammy hands grab Obi-Wan’s like sleep will attempt to rip him away and drag him back to bed, “No, I don’t want to. I want - can we watch that thing you were talking about the other day? Please?” 

Obi-Wan narrows his eyes. Any version of Anakin Skywalker willingly volunteering to watch a holodocumentary about invasive plant species is… well, Obi-Wan doesn’t know what it is. It’s unheard of. 

But he won’t push because Anakin has set a boundary, and Obi-Wan will respect that. At least for tonight.

Anakin manages to stay away for over half of the documentary, but Obi-Wan doesn’t think he was genuinely watching. His eyes, usually so bright and eager to take in their surroundings, are dull and glazed over. Anakin blinks sluggishly at the TV, even when the narrator makes a comment that leaves an opening for a snarky response that Anakin would typically jump on.

When his eyes finally close and stay closed, his face remains tense. Even in sleep, Anakin clings to Obi-Wan with a surprisingly firm grip and buries his face, lined with tension that no nine-year-old should bear, into his side. Obi-Wan shifts closer and scratches at Anakin’s scalp in slow movements, just like he used to do decades ago when Anakin would come into his room after a bad dream. 

Even after the documentary ends, Obi-Wan stays awake. His use of the Force to change the channel to some late-night news segment is not frivolous, he reasons, because he is making sure that his little brother gets a healthy amount of sleep.

~

“No shadow?”

Mace Windu’s voice knocks Obi-Wan from his musings.

“Hm?” Obi-Wan blinks at the esteemed Master before registering his words, “Oh! No, no shadow,” He smiles weakly, “I’ve left him with Quinlin, which I realize maybe a mistake the longer I think about it.” 

Mace’s eyes narrow, and he inspects Obi-Wan without even trying to hide it. It’s times like this that Obi-Wan remembers that he is, by all means, the baby of the Council and all of the Masters on it at one point had viewed him as  _ Padawan Kenobi. _ “You look tired,” He finally says.

Obi-Wan knows he isn’t looking his best. His usually well-kept hair is askew from the number of times he’s run his hair through it, and he’s still wearing yesterday’s clothes, not to mention the bags under his eyes. Obi-Wan had stayed up the whole night watching trashy TV and analyzing every twitch Anakin did in his sleep to make sure he wasn’t having another nightmare. 

He had tried his best, come morning, to assure Anakin that he was fine and would be able to function correctly, but he doubted the boy believed him. 

“Anakin has been having nightmares,” Obi-Wan replies, scrubbing at his eyes in a way he would never do in front of Master Windu had he been awake enough.

Mace hums in understanding, “As he did about his mother?” 

Obi-Wan shakes his head, “No,” his eyebrows pinch together, “This feels different. Not so much the future but perhaps the past. I can’t explain it because he refuses to tell me about them. He wakes in the middle of the night and pukes whatever he had to eat before bed and won’t tell me a thing.”

Mace hums again, but this one sounds more concerned than the last, “Have you tried to take him to a mind healer?” 

Despite Anakin’s reservations - both Anakin’s really - Mace likes him. Perhaps he tolerated Anakin the first time they met, however many years ago, but this time around, Mace has warmed up to him considerably. Maybe it’s the grand padawan he has that’s only a little older than Anakin, but Mace has been harsh with the boy. 

Obi-Wan shakes his head, “No, I didn’t think he’d respond very well to a mind healer. I’m hoping that maybe he’ll confide in Quin.” Much to Obi-Wan's detriment, Anakin had taken a liking to Quinlan as soon as they met.

“Oh, young Skywalker is having trouble sleeping?” The sound of Chancellor Palpatine’s voice, seemingly out of nowhere, makes Obi-Wan flinch - a true sign as to how sleep deprived he is. “How awful,”

“Chancellor Palpatine,” Obi-Wan greets, bowing respectfully, “My apologies, I might be more tired than I originally thought.” The sight of the old man raises the hair on the back of Obi-Wan’s neck. The sound of Anakin’s sobs and a desperate  _ Please don’t make me see him again, please, Obi-Wan, I don’t want to _ ring in his ears. 

The chancellor  _ tut _ s sympathetically as he clasps his hands in front of him, “I always saw Anakin as a dear friend of mine and, as you know, he’s done so much for the Republic and me. I regret that this new Anakin and myself have gotten off to such a rocky start. If it would be any help at all, I could arrange an appointment with a highly rated sleep professional,” The chancellor switches his gaze between the two Jedi Masters. Still, his imploring expression makes Obi-Wan grit his teeth. There is something  _ off _ about this man, and it makes a fire burn in the pit of Obi-Wan’s gut that he never realized it before. “I’ll even volunteer my own services. Anakin has always been a listening ear for an old man and his troubles, and I’d be honored to return the gesture.”

“How thoughtful of you, Chancellor-”

“Thoughtful, yes, but unnecessary,” Obi-Wan cuts Mace off with a practiced smile and earns a harsh jab through the Force in return, “I appreciate your concern, Chancellor Palpatine, but I’m afraid after Anakin’s brief kidnapping he just doesn’t feel comfortable outside Temple walls.”

That wasn’t entirely true. Yes, Anakin hesitated at the first mention of leaving the Temple again to visit the town, but after both Rex and Cody accompanied them, he felt much better. But what Palpatine didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. 

Obi-Wan refused to acknowledge the second option.

The chancellor’s gentle smile falters for half a second, barely noticeable to anyone that wasn’t studying his every move, which Obi-Wan most definitely is. “Very well,” He finally acquiesces, “Please, at least mention it to Anakin. His decision may surprise us all.” 

Obi-Wan nods peacefully in contrast to the red hot protectiveness that swirls around his chest cavity, “I will.” 

As he walks away, Obi-Wan ponders whether lying to the Republic's leader constitutes treason.

~

Obi-Wan waits until the awful retching tampers off in the fresher before coming in. Wordlessly, he kneels and pulls some of Anakin’s damp hair from his face and rubs soothing circles into his back. 

Relief floods him when the boy leans back into his touch. 

Neither of them says anything as Anakin sits at the kitchen table, hiding the tear tracks staining his cheeks in his hands, and Obi-Wan prepares the two of them a drink (tea for Obi-Wan and a hot chocolate for Anakin).

They sit in silence still as Anakin wraps trembling hands around the mug and brings it to his lips, and the steam coming from the drink dries whatever wetness is still on his face. It isn’t until Anakin meets Obi-Wan’s gaze for the first time, and tears immediately flood his vision that Obi-Wan speaks up.

“Anakin, I’m worried for you,” His voice is still sleep-rough, and the sound of it makes Anakin flinch, “This can’t go on. It isn’t healthy. Please, talk to me.”

_ “No!” _ Anakin cries, tightening his grip on the mug, “Please, please, don’t make me, Obi-Wan. I don’t want to talk about it,” Tears begin to drip down his face, “It’ll just make you-” He cuts himself off with a violent shudder like he can’t bear to finish the sentence and sucks in a shaky breath.

Obi-Wan abandons his seat across the table in favor of sliding into the one next to the boy, “It will make me what, Anakin?” He pries Anakin’s hands off of the mug that is still too hot to be grabbing like Anakin is and holds them in his own.

“It’s gonna make you hate me,” Anakin whispers, leaning forward to press his face into Obi-Wan’s chest, “I know it will.”

Obi-Wan inhales sharply. Definitely not a normal dream - no normal dream would give Anakin such an irrational fear. Their bond is much stronger than an imagined hatred. Stronger even than what Anakin was about to tell him, Obi-Wan is sure of it.

“Anakin, that’s not true. Nothing in this galaxy could make me hate you,” He tugs gently at the boy’s hair, “Not even this nightmare. Please, tell me what’s happening.” 

Obi-Wan feels his heart start to beat faster and distantly wonders whether or not Anakin can hear it from where he’s pressed into his chest. Logistically, there is no way Anakin  _ can’t. _ His face is pressed so tightly into Obi-Wan’s sleep shirt that Obi-Wan is almost nervous he’ll suffocate. What if Anakin’s nightmare has been some Force prophecy? Some “Chosen One” quest that Anakin will be forced to take on alone? Obi-Wan has always felt out of his depth regarding Anakin’s status as the prophesied Chosen One.

How was Obi-Wan, who was never anyone’s first choice when it came to anything - not by Qui-Gon and definitely not by Anakin, who had been saddled with Obi-Wan after Qui-Gon’s death - supposed to keep up with the Chosen One? The one who was supposed to bring balance to the Force?

He was just… Obi-Wan.

Anakin looks tearfully up at Obi-Wan, scrubbing at his eyes with the sleeves of his shirt, “Obi-Wan, I…” He averts his gaze, stubbornly staring at the steaming mugs on the table.

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan taps the boy’s temple to get his attention, “The chancellor overheard me speaking about your nightmares and offered to find a mind healer for you or even speak to you one on one,” Anakin’s face morphed into one of pure terror, “But I told him no,” Obi-Wan continues before the boy can protest. “I told him, no, but that means I need you to tell me what’s been plaguing your dreams.” 

“You won’t make me go talk to him?” Anakin’s voice is meaker than Obi-Wan has heard it in a long time. 

Obi-Wan falters. Is this an ultimatum? Was Obi-Wan’s folly the first time not pushing enough, and now his folly is pushing too much? 

“No,” Obi-Wan finally answers, “No, I won’t make you talk to him even if you don’t tell me. But I want you to know that you can come to me with anything.”

“Anything?” Anakin repeats, teary eyes now hopeful as if the message is finally getting through. 

Obi-Wan smiles weakly, “Yes, Anakin. Anything, I promise you.” 

Anakin nods, hands slowly releasing Obi-Wan’s pant leg, “It’s just… Obi-Wan, I did something really bad, and I don’t even remember doing it,” his voice cracks, “I don’t even remember doing it, but now I can’t get it out of my head.” 

“Anakin, may I try something?” Obi-Wan sits up a little more, absently reaching out to wipe one of many tears that track down his face.  _ Anakin has cried too much for his lifetime, _ Obi-Wan thinks to himself with no small amount of guilt.

Anakin grabs his hand as Obi-Wan retracts it and holds it tight, “What is it?” He asks, even while nodding.

Obi-Wan allows his hand to be pulled to and fro, spreading his fingers apart so that Anakin can thread his own nimble and calloused fingers between them, “I just need you to picture the dream in your mind as clearly as you can. I know it will be hard, and if at any time you feel like you can’t do it anymore, I want you to shove me out of your mind. Just like we practiced, do you remember that?” 

Anakin nods again, turning his face into his shoulder to wipe his nose, “Yeah, I can do that.” 

“Good,” Obi-Wan tries for a smile, “That’s very good, Anakin.” 

He waits until Anakin’s eyes scrunch up in concentration, and his chin begins to quiver at what he finds. He waits a second longer as Anakin’s grip tightens on his hand. Finally, Obi-Wan brings his free hand up and presses one finger against Anakin’s temple until he feels his body being  _ sucked in _ . 

Gravity fails in keeping Obi-Wan grounded as he’s pulled into Anakin’s gravitational force. His vision blurs, and all he can feel is  _ ragesorrowangerhatred _ , and all he can smell is the sizzling of cauterized flesh until finally-

_ There’s a woman chained to a wooden frame in the middle of a hut. Obi-Wan, even though it’s not really Obi-Wan, moves forward on shaky feet and cuts her down. He lowers her with reverent hands and takes in her face. Without ever meeting this woman before, he knows this is his mother - no, it’s  _ Anakin’s _ mother. The lines between Obi-Wan and Anakin and where one ends and the other begins were always blurred at best, but now they are practically gone.  _

_ Obi-Wan can’t focus too long on who exactly he is as his lips move without his consent, “Mom? Mom?”  _

_ Shmi Skywalker’s eyes, caked in blood and crusted with sand, flutter open, “Ani? Is it you?” Her eyes blink sluggishly into focus as she takes in her son. _

_ Obi-Wan sucks in a wet gasp that can almost be called a sob, “I’m here, Mom. You’re safe. Hang on, I’m going to get you out of here,” He tears his gaze away from his mom to take in the hut. If he focuses, he can hear the Tusken Raiders' warbling language even though he’s never heard one before and should have no idea what they sound like. How can he get her out without any of them seeing? _

_ “I’m so glad,” Shmi continues faintly, voice getting weaker by the moment, “To see you, Ani. Now I’m… Now I am complete.” Her eyes flutter again. _

_ She’s getting weaker. Why is she getting weaker? Obi-Wan is  _ here _ ; she’s safe. He’s going to take her home, and she’ll never have to think about Tatooine again.  _

_ “Just stay with me, Mom,” His voice is frantic now, hands hovering over his mother but never touching. If he touches her, will he just hurt her more? “I’m going to get you out of here. Everything is going to be fine,” Obi-Wan’s voice is getting thicker the longer he talks, and the lump in his throat is trying it’s damndest to suffocate him. _

_ Shmi’s hand shakes as she presses it to his cheek, free of a scar for now, “You look so handsome. My son, all grown up.” The next breath she takes in is painful to listen to, “Ani, I’m so proud. I missed you so much,” Her hand begins to slide down his cheek, and his skin feels freezing as soon as it loses contact, “I love-” _

_ And just like that, Shmi Skywalker dies. A woman of few words denied the chance to say the ones that truly mattered. Obi-Wan can feel it in his gut as her life is extinguished, right there in his arms. _

_ The pure rage swallows up the grief that overcomes him. The hatred that burns inside of him makes him stand and exit the hut. Makes him ignite his saber and cut down the Tuskens that murdered his mother. Even the ones that scream and beg for what must be mercy, but Obi-Wan has not felt merciful in a very long time. _

_ The smell of burning flesh is powerful, but just a mere afterthought in the face of the injustice that Obi-Wan is fixing. And it feels  _ good _ to fix it - it feels right. The Jedi may stand for such corruption, but Obi-Wan will not. Obi-Wan, now judge, jury, and executioner, demands justice in the form of blood.  _

_ When vengeance is finally served, from the oldest to the littlest child, Obi-Wan is numb. The lightsaber back on his hip burns through his trousers like a hot brand, but all he can think about is getting his mother a proper burial at a familiar place.  _

_ As he tracks through the Tatooine desert, a cold and stiff body in his arms and a burning weapon at his hip, Obi-Wan feels his spirit unanchoring itself from his body. No, not his body. Anakin’s body. _

_ He begins to float up, weightlessness taking control of him, and while his vision begins to fade, Obi-Wan tries to look at his padawan. His poor padawan whose eyes burn withstand and tears, whose arms are weighed with a burden no child should have to bear. _

_ The only blessing as he drifts away is the smell of burning flesh fades as well. _

Obi-Wan comes to on his hands and knees in the middle of his kitchen. His throat and nose  _ burn _ , the smell of burning flesh, while physically gone, still linger in the front of his mind. He sucks in air like a man half-drowned as he tries to ground himself. 

_ “Obi-Wan! Obi-Wan, I’m so sorry!” _ Anakin’s sobs are the first thing that Obi-Wan can truly register in the real world. The boy is on his knees at Obi-Wan’s side, arms flung awkwardly around his torso as he tries to dissolve into him again. “I did such awful things,” He whispers into Obi-Wan’s sweat-soaked shirt. 

Obi-Wan blinks down at the tiled floor, flexing his fingers and trying to stop his vision from swimming. “Anakin-”

The boy only hugs him tighter, squeezing out whatever little air Obi-Wan had managed to suck in, “I didn’t mean to do it!” He swears, “I didn’t! I couldn’t stop myself; he just doesn’t  _ listen to me!” _

Obi-Wan forces himself to sit up, gathering the boy into his lap. He rests his chin atop Anakin’s quivering head and says nothing while he gathers himself.

Distantly, Obi-Wan is aware of how unbalanced the two of them. Anakin, so free and uncontained, is projecting his grief for all to see. Even Obi-Wan, who keeps his emotions under lock and key, is unstable in the Force.

_ “I’m sorry,”  _ Anakin whispers into his chest, “I didn’t mean to be a monster. I didn’t want to do it. He just wouldn’t listen to me, no matter how much I screamed at him to stop-”

Obi-Wan snakes his arms around the boy as tight as he can manage, “Anakin, don’t say that,” He murmurs, “You’re not a monster. That… that wasn’t you.”

But it was the other Anakin. The Anakin that Obi-Wan had raised from boyhood and into knightship. Where had Obi-Wan gone so wrong? How had he failed his padawan so severely? 

_ “Yes, it was!” _ Anakin pulls back from Obi-Wan’s chest to stare into his very soul, “That was  _ me! _ The - the other me, and…” His voice breaks, and his whole face shudders, “That was my  _ mom.” _ Anakin collapses like a puppet whose strings have been cut back into Obi-Wan’s chest. 

“No, Ani-Anakin,” Obi-Wan stutters around the nickname. Perhaps hearing it would be too raw after the way his mother refused to call him anything else in his dream. “Anakin, that wasn’t you. You are not him, and he is not you. You didn’t kill those people, do you understand me?” He brushes the hair that isn’t being pinned against his chest out of Anakin’s face, “You are not a monster, Anakin Skywalker.” 

Another shudder racks Anakin’s body. The boy’s hands are like steel traps fisting in the back of his sleep shirt. “Was the other me a monster?” The question is so quiet Obi-Wan can hardly hear it, “Am I going to turn into  _ him?” _

Obi-Wan clenches his eyes shut. His poor padawan. He was no monster, just affected by a failure of a master that couldn’t even see how his own student was falling apart at the seams. “No, Anakin,” He finally answers, “The other you wasn’t a monster. He was… struggling. And I’ll always regret that I wasn’t there to help him when he needed me most.” 

Anakin shakes his head, the movement pressing uncomfortably at Obi-Wan’s ribs, “‘s not your fault, Obi,” He assures him, “The other me… he made his choices.” 

A tear slips down Obi-Wan’s cheek only to disappear into the coarseness of his beard, “Anakin,” He shakes the boy lightly to make him look up, “I want you to know that the older you was a good man. He was a good man and a great Jedi, and one mistake like this does not define him or you. This was  _ wrong, _ and you know that. You wouldn’t be this affected by your dreams if you didn’t know that, and that is what separates you from the real monsters in this world, do you understand?” 

Anakin nods his head, “I think so,” He shifts until he’s leaning more into Obi-Wan’s sides rather than his sternum, “Do you miss him? The other me?”

It doesn’t take a genius to hear the question not being asked.

_ Do you wish he were here instead of me? _

Obi-Wan exhales shakily, “Of course I do,” He admits, “I raised him, just as I’m raising you. I watched him grow into a fine young man and an even finer teacher,” He feels Anakin shift again against his side, but this time out of discomfort, “But now I have you. And I wouldn’t give you up for the world.” He brushes a thumb across Anakin’s forehead as if swiping away invisible dirt. 

“Do you…” Anakin sinks into Obi-Wan again, temporarily satisfied with his answer, “Do you want him back?” 

And truthfully? Obi-Wan doesn’t know. 

He misses Anakin  _ so much. _ Misses the easy banter and the feeling that even as the war went to shit and things couldn’t seem to get any worse, he would have Anakin at his side. Obi-Wan misses the hair-brained schemes and meaningless bickering that the two of them would find themselves in. 

But he knows he would miss this Anakin too. Would miss him like a lost limb. Obi-Wan would miss the easy affection and the small hands that would tug at his robes to get his attention. Would miss being called  _ big brother _ in a way that was so carefree and innocent, untainted by the horrors outside their shared apartment.

“That’s a hard question, Anakin,” He finally answers, “I miss him a lot. But I know I would miss you too if you suddenly switched. I… I love you both, Anakin. Both versions of you. And  _ you,” _ He tugs lightly at the boy's hair just to hear him squeak, “are going to have to deal with me for a very long time before you can even think about getting rid of me.” 

In a perfect world, a world where Obi-Wan could be as greedy as he wanted, he would have  _ both _ . The Anakin who grew taller than Obi-Wan by the time he was sixteen and crashed ships for fun, and the Anakin that called him  _ big brother _ and gave his affection as freely as the sun shone. 

Anakin giggles for the first time since his nightmares started, sinking into Obi-Wan’s side just a little more, “I don’t want to get rid of you, Obi-Wan,”

“Well, I’m delighted to hear it -”

“You’re the only one who knows how to cook breakfast. I need to keep you around,” Anakin finishes his statement with a yawn, even though Obi-Wan  _ knows _ that yawn is fake and is just a ploy to hide his impish smile.

Obi-Wan can’t stop the chuckle from escaping him, however. “Well, in that case, I think we both need to be getting to bed. We need a good night's sleep so that I can wake up and make you  _ breakfast,” _ He squeezes the boy’s sides and grins at the ensuing shriek.

The sword that had been hanging over the two of them for the past week, ready to fall at a moment’s notice, has vanished. In its place is only the light feeling of  _ joycontentmentpeace _ .

“Obi-Wan?” Anakin asks through a real yawn as he is carried towards his room, “Can I sleep with you tonight? Just to make sure there are no more nightmares?”

Obi-Wan doesn’t even falter as he passes Anakin’s door and steps into his own, “Of course, Anakin. You never need to ask.” 

He sets the boy down and watches fondly as he clambers into the bed, immediately burrowing himself into the blankets. 

Obi-Wan crawls in after him and extracts some of the blankets from the boy’s greedy hands. However, along with more blankets comes a nine-year-old that clings to his arm and snores like a bantha as soon as his head hits the pillow. 

That night, both Obi-Wan and Anakin sleep nightmare free.

The next morning, Obi-Wan cooks the biggest breakfast Anakin had ever seen.

**Author's Note:**

> hi yall! Sorry this update took so long, i've had so many story ideas that just demanded attention, but I had this idea for a very long time so I hope you all like it! I know a lot of you guys have been commenting and wondering where Padme is during all of this and I have a story with her brewing up in my mind!! I'd love to hear any other ideas you guys have for this series as well.
> 
> As always, I love you all and comments are cherished.


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